Outputs
Do we know what we are going to produce? How will we ensure the research findings are accessible to our target audience?
The end-product of the research is helpful to consider at its outset to streamline producing these products. For example, the type of report made from the research will influence how the data are organized and analyzed. If the outputs are reports to members of the community, more focus could be put towards developing a narrative and images, whereas policy-makers whose attention you already have might be more interested in hard facts.
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Examples of outputs and outcomes
Outcomes
How will we know what we want to achieve?
The outcome that the research seeks to achieve is the entire reason for the research, so it should guide each step of the process. Try not to lose sight of the desired outcomes.
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Evaluation
What does ‘success’ look like and how we’ll know if we’ve achieved it? What indicators will we use and why?
Set goals, targets, and metrics that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Determine how and when the targets will be evaluated.